The national tourist board has vowed to support British events as it looks to boost the number of international tourists by 29 per cent.

VisitBritain has set its sights on welcoming 40 million overseas leisure and business visitors by 2020 with the hope of generating £31.5 billion in income and creating an extra 200,000 jobs.

The overall strategy calls for Britain to build on its improved international image, while the government has promised to form better links with the travel industry. Increasing the product range on offer for inbound tourists and making it easier for overseas visitors to get into Britain are among the other aims outlined by culture secretary Maria Miller.

As reported by meetpie.com, boosting business tourism will be another point of focus for the board after a campaign for its inclusion in the strategy was launched last year. Event venues and planners may now be hoping that VisitBritain is true to its word and can encourage more companies to organise their conferences in the UK.

A spokesman for VisitBritain said the government’s plan of action reiterates the importance of major events to increase visitor numbers.

“VisitBritain will build on the work already being carried out in this area – particularly in supporting major event bids and using its overseas network to provide key insights and trade engagement,” he told breakingtravelnews.com.

The board has been given £24 million to support the new strategy and has taken little time in announcing a £2 million, two-year marketing campaign to promote Britain in key international markets.